Torenia plant named ‘Sunrenikonpe’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Torenia  plant named ‘Sunrenikonpe’, characterized by its compact and mounding to trailing plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; light violet-colored flowers and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Torenia sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNRENIKONPE’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Torenia Plant Named ‘Sunrenikonho’

Applicants: Tetsuya Kako & Kiyoshi Miyazaki

Filed: Concurrently with this application (U.S. Plant patent application No. 12/590,019)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Torenia plant, botanically known as Torenia sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunrenikonpe’.

The new Torenia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new freely-branching Torenia plants with mounding habit and numerous large flowers.

The new Torenia plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventors in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in July, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Torenia sp, identified as code number TP-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Torenia sp. identified as code number TFOEx-W, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Torenia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in March, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Torenia plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since April, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Torenia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Torenia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunrenikonpe’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunrenikonpe’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Torenia:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding to trailing plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Light violet-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Torenia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Torenia are more mounding than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Torenia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have light purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Torenia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Torenia are more mounding and trailing than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Torenia and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Torenia can be compared to plants of Torenia sp. ‘Sunrenikonho’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application No. 12/590,019, filed concurrently. Plants of the new Torenia and ‘Sunrenikonho’ differ primarily in flower color as plants of ‘Sunrenikonho’ have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Torenia can also be compared to plants of Torenia ‘Sunrenilabu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,843. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Torenia and ‘Sunrenilabu’ differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Torenia were larger and more mounding than         plants of ‘Sunrenilabu’.     -   2. Plants of the new Torenia had thicker stems than plants of         ‘Sunrenilabu’.     -   3. Plants of the new Torenia had larger leaves than plants of         ‘Sunrenilabu’.     -   4. Plants of the new Torenia were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Sunrenilabu’.     -   5. Flowers of plants of the new Torenia had a yellow-colored         blotch whereas flowers of plants of ‘Sunrenilabu’ did not have a         yellow-colored blotch.     -   6. Plants of the new Torenia and ‘Sunrenilabu’ differed slightly         in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Torenia plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Torenia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunrenikonpe’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers, flower buds and leaves of ‘Sunrenikonpe’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, under commercial practice during the summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery with day temperatures averaging 23° C. and night temperatures averaging 15° C. Plants were five and six months old when the photographs and description, respectively, were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Torenia sp. ‘Sunrenikonpe’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Torenia             sp, identified as code number TP-1, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Torenia             sp. identified as code number TFOEx-W, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant roots.—About three to             four weeks at 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Compact and mounded to trailing plant             habit; outwardly spreading; vigorous growth habit; freely             branching habit with numerous lateral branches developing             per plant, pinching enhances branching potential.         -   Plant height.—About 19 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 54 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 28.4 cm. Diameter: About             2.7 mm. Internode length: About 3 cm to 9 cm. Aspect:             Upright to decumbent. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color:             Close to 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 4.3 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Truncate to cordate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Pubescent.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 145A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138B; venation, close to 145A.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single flowers borne in upper leaf axils;             corolla bilabiate and calyx tubular; flowers face obliquely             upright; freely flowering habit with about 140 flowers             developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about three             to four weeks after planting; long flowering period;             continuously flowering from early summer to late autumn in             Japan.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about four days on             the plant.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 7.5 mm.             Shape: Ellipsoidal. Color: Close to 145A to 145B.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.5 cm by 2.7 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 4.6 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 1 cm.         -   Tube diameter, base.—About 2.6 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Bilabiate with one upper or             banner petal and one lower petal with two lateral and one             lower lobes, petals fused. Upper petal: Length: About             1.7 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:             Mucronate to truncate. Margin: Entire; undulating. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Developing, upper surface: Close to 92C. Developing, lower             surface: Close to 92D. Fully developed, upper surface: More             pale than 92C. Fully developed, lower surface: Close to 92D.             Lower petal: Length, lateral lobes: About 1.2 cm. Width,             lateral lobes: About 1.9 cm. Length, lower lobe: About             1.7 cm. Width, lower lobe: About 1.8 cm. Shape, lateral and             lower lobes: Elliptic. Apex, lateral lobes: Truncate. Apex,             lower lobe: Truncate to rounded. Margin, lateral and lower             lobes: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces, lateral             and lower lobes: Smooth, glabrous. Color, lateral lobes:             Developing, upper and lower surfaces: Close to N88C. Fully             developed, upper surface: Close to N88C. Fully developed,             lower surface: Close to N88D. Color, lower lobes:             Developing, upper surface: Close to 92C; towards the margin,             close to N88D; blotch, close to 12A. Developing, lower             surface: Close to 92D; towards the margin, close to N88D.             Fully developed, upper surface: Close to 92C; blotch, close             to 12B. Fully developed, lower surface: Close to 92D. Throat             color: Close to 91A to 91B; towards the base, close to 162A.             Tube color: Between 86C and N87D; towards the base, close to             162D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five, fused; margins             winged. Calyx length: About 1.8 cm. Calyx diameter: About             8 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, immature, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145B.             Color, mature, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             four; two pairs of fused anthers. Filament length: About 5             mm to 14 mm. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 4             mm by 0.6 mm. Anther color: Close to N155A. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 11B. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.5 cm. Stigma shape:             Elliptic. Stigma color: Close to N155A. Style color: Close             to N155A. Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Torenia. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Torenia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Torenia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Torenia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures from about 5° C. to about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Torenia plant named ‘Sunrenikonpe’ as illustrated and described. 